OAK GLEN, Calif. (AP) — Mudslides and debris flows knocked down trees, plowed into homes and trapped drivers for 10 hours after several Southern California communities were hit by heavy rain, authorities said. No one was hurt and authorities were able to get those stranded out, with no reports of missing persons, according to Christopher Prater, a public information officer for San Bernardino County Fire, on Friday. Intense rains pounded the community for more than an hour Thursday as remnants of Tropical Storm Mario reached the mountainous region, stated the National Weather Service.
The mudslides affected the small mountain communities of Forest Falls, Oak Glen, and Potato Canyon in San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles. Authorities managed to rescue 10 individuals stuck in at least six vehicles on state Route 38 near Jenks Lake, close to the San Bernardino National Forest. This winding road, linking cities east of Los Angeles to the resort area of Big Bear Lake, became hazardous during the storm.
Witnesses like Kael Steel described the sudden onset of debris coming down the mountain, which made navigation impossible. Cars were turning around telling me the road was blocked. So I headed back up the mountain, but got blocked again... There’s no road there anymore, he recounted.
As of Friday morning, the route remained closed per the California Highway Patrol, with damage assessment teams set to evaluate the situation. The extent of damage to homes has yet to be determined, but the local community is clearly facing significant challenges due to the severe weather conditions. The affected regions had already experienced significant environmental damage from past wildfires, which have left areas vulnerable to mudslides and other natural disasters. Meteorologist Kyle Wheeler noted that the rainfall rates during this storm had far exceeded typical summer thunderstorms, resulting in nearly two inches of rain over a mere two-hour period.
The mudslides affected the small mountain communities of Forest Falls, Oak Glen, and Potato Canyon in San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles. Authorities managed to rescue 10 individuals stuck in at least six vehicles on state Route 38 near Jenks Lake, close to the San Bernardino National Forest. This winding road, linking cities east of Los Angeles to the resort area of Big Bear Lake, became hazardous during the storm.
Witnesses like Kael Steel described the sudden onset of debris coming down the mountain, which made navigation impossible. Cars were turning around telling me the road was blocked. So I headed back up the mountain, but got blocked again... There’s no road there anymore, he recounted.
As of Friday morning, the route remained closed per the California Highway Patrol, with damage assessment teams set to evaluate the situation. The extent of damage to homes has yet to be determined, but the local community is clearly facing significant challenges due to the severe weather conditions. The affected regions had already experienced significant environmental damage from past wildfires, which have left areas vulnerable to mudslides and other natural disasters. Meteorologist Kyle Wheeler noted that the rainfall rates during this storm had far exceeded typical summer thunderstorms, resulting in nearly two inches of rain over a mere two-hour period.
